Better Things
by minasark
Summary: "There is no shame in wanting more for your life, Noel." D'Artagnon's sister comes to Paris right as war with Buckingham threatens France.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This takes place about three weeks after the movie's end. Buckingham's fleet is still en route, but will become a problem for our favorite Musketeers to solve very soon. I hope you enjoy.

* * *

 _Sister,_

 _You are always welcome in Paris. If you truly believe that leaving Glascony is what you want, then I support you. I have no doubt that Father will support you as well and Mother will undoubtedly understand your decision with time. Send word of your arrival and I'll see to it that you have lodging for however long you wish to stay. You can find me on Rue Saint-Bernard. Just ask for D'Artagnon._

Noel rolled her eyes at the last sentence of her brother's letter as she carefully folded the parchment and tucked it away in her riding jacket.

Leave it to Charles to give her directions without really giving her directions at all.

Her frustrated amusement quickly dissolved as she took in the sights of the city around her.

Paris.

After an arduous four-day journey, she had finally arrived.

The city was unlike anything she had ever seen before. The streets bustled with merchants selling their wares and people moving about from stand to stand, making their purchases. She took in a deep breath, savoring the smells of the freshly baked breads and a variety of dried herbs and spices that were for sale. Noel felt small and entirely insignificant in the flurry of noise and movement around her. A tiny drop of water in the sea that was France's capital.

She loved every moment of it.

Hopping off her horse to better navigate through the crowded streets, she took a moment to take stock of her appearance. She hadn't seen her twin in over a year—the longest they had ever been separated in their lives—and her trip had been hindered by periodic rainfall. While her hooded cloak protected her from the worst of the weather, she didn't want her reunion with her brother to be marred by her looking windswept and half-drowned.

She caught a glimpse of her reflection in a silver platter that was for sale and sighed in relief. She had made a strategic choice with her unruly hair, styling her long dark brown locks with two small braids starting just above her temples to keep the hair off of her face as she traveled. She had then worked those braids into a sturdy knot at the base of her neck for style that required minimum upkeep throughout her journey.

Noel had opted for one of her plainer riding outfits figuring that it would hold up the best over her journey and she was pleased to see that she had been right. Her white chemise held evidence of her time on the road, looking worn and wrinkled in the places where it fashionably poked out of her leather riding jacket. Her riding skirts were wrinkled—something that couldn't have been helped even with sunny skies—and looked a little weather worn, but for the most part looked presentable.

Satisfied that she didn't look like a crazed traveler, she grabbed the reigns of her horse and went on her way in the direction that a kind merchant two streets over had said was the direction of Rue Saint-Bernard.

She had made it down several more streets before she stopped to take her brother's letter out again.

"Good day, Miss."

Noel looked up to find the source of the voice that had greeted her. A blonde man in a black and red uniform gave her a polite nod, but the expression on his face was anything but friendly.

With a slight smile, Noel bowed her head in acknowledgement of his greeting. She quickly tucked the letter back in her pocket and moved to continue down the street and into the square without further interaction with the man.

The man had other ideas.

"Where are we headed off to in such a hurry today?" He asked, taking three long steps to cut her and her horse off at the square's opening.

She bowed her head, refusing to look at him and hoping that he'd let her pass, "I'm visiting my brother, sir. I was delayed on the road and he's expecting me."

"Visiting your brother, you say?" He asked, amusement oozing in his voice, "Allow me to escort you."

Before Noel could blink, the man had grabbed her left arm and started to pull her in the opposite direction of where she was headed.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to trouble you." Noel stated forcing the panic she was beginning to feel from entering her voice. She could still get out of this peacefully, "His directions were pretty clear. I'll be fine, but I thank you for your generosity."

She moved to pull away, but the man gripped tighter. Noel winced.

"It's no trouble at all." He said, grinning at her discomfort.

Noel pointedly looked at where he gripped her arm, anger starting to replace her initial panic, "Sir, I must ask you to not grip my arm so tightly."

"Come along, Miss." The man said, ignoring her as he tried to pull her away again.

Noel eyed the pack on her horse where her sword was hidden, mentally calculating the moves she needed to make in order to free herself from his grip and grab her weapon.

"Sir, I'm not going to ask a second time. Let me go." She was no longer feigning politeness.

The change in her voice caused the man to smirk. He leaned in to whisper smugly, "Or you'll what?"

Noel was glaring at the man so fiercely that she didn't notice a second walking up to the pair, assessing the situation with a cool expressionless gaze.

"Is there a problem here?"

Noel looked up at the second man and the indignant words she was about to say instantly died on her lips.

She was staring at the most handsome man she had ever seen and he was calmly staring right back at her.

He was dressed in all black, but his clothes were clearly that of a man with title and some wealth. The silver cross around his neck and the large silver chain that rested across his doublet signified he held an official role in some capacity, but she was mostly captivated by his eyes. They were the warmest shade of brown and while there was a carefully constructed nonchalance to his expression, there was a softness in his eyes that sent her a clear message.

He was an ally.

She quickly composed herself and tried for the peaceful path once more.

"No problem, sir." She turned back to look at the blonde man, "I was just taking my leave."

The blonde man's grip on her arm tightened in response. One last threat that she felt down to the bone.

Noel sucked in a silent breath through clenched teeth, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing her in pain. The second man, however, seemed to see right through this and turned to her attacker, his expression still unnervingly calm.

"I do believe the lady, bid you adieu." He stated matter-of-factly.

The blonde man took his gaze from Noel and turned to acknowledge the man in black for the first time with a look of pure hatred.

Noel frowned. Did these two know each other?

"Always sticking your nose in business that isn't your own." The blonde man sneered, "You never learn."

The man in black flipped closed a little leather booklet that he'd been holding in his hands, his expression giving nothing away, "On the contrary, I am a city official and you are in the heart of my city." Tucking the booklet inside his doublet, he turned his attention back to the blonde man, finally allowing a look of warning to cross his face, "You just made it my problem. Now let her go."

Still gripping Noel's arm with one hand, the blonde man drew his sword with his other.

Noel took an instinctive step closer to her horse—to her weapon—but the blonde man roughly pulled her back towards him

In a movement that was impossibly fast, the man in black drew a sword of his own, pointing it straight at her attacker's face, "Let the record show that you were given several opportunities to walk away."

Her attacker lunged at the man in black and Noel took the movement as her opportunity to pull herself free of his grip.

She heard the sound of clashing metal behind her as she rushed to her horse, frantically digging through her rolled up pack for her sword.

While she had no doubt that the man in black could hold his own in a fight, she was not about to let the slight towards her go unpunished.

She was not the kind of girl that a man in uniform could threaten and get away with it.

Her temper taking control, Noel unsheathed her sword from the pack and rushed back to the fray. Seeing a break in the fight, she jumped in between the two men and disarmed the blonde man in just three movements.

Her attacker took several steps back, a look of astonishment on his face that was quickly replaced with one of rage as he slowly bent down and reached for his sword, "You have no idea who you've just sided with, girl."

The man in black took in this new development in his expressionless manner, but Noel could have sworn that there was a look of delighted amusement in his eyes.

Those eyes.

Noel focused her attention back on the blonde man and raised her sword daring him to attack her again, "Someone with more decorum than you."

The blonde man growled, "You'll regret this."

He angrily sheathed his sword and rushed off to the horse he had hitched several feet away, quickly riding off.

The small crowd that had formed to watch the fight started to dissipate after a few small cheers and within a matter of moments, it was almost as if the altercation had never happened.

Noel turned to look at the man in black who had been standing there, sword still in his hand, his eyebrows raised.

"What?" Noel asked, her temper still getting the best of her, "He did ask what would happen if he didn't let me go. He found out."

The man in black let out a loud surprised laugh as he sheathed his sword, grinning.

Noel's temper instantly died at the shock of his laughter and she quickly found herself thinking that the man was even more good looking when he smiled.

He gave her a slight bow, "I would apologize for not getting here sooner, but it seems like you had everything under control. My apologies for my chivalry getting in the way of my better judgement. I should have seen you had everything well at hand."

Was the man—who had just moments before been her silent, steadfast protector—poking fun at her?

She rolled her eyes in response, "Well, it's nice to know that not all men in uniform in Paris are brutes."

She moved to place her sword back in the pack on her horse, wincing as she did so. She was certain that bruises were already forming on her left arm where the blonde man had gripped her.

The man in black approached her, all jest quickly leaving his expression.

"Did he hurt you?"

The sincerity in his voice made Noel pause. She wasn't sure why, but she desperately wanted to make him smile again.

"It's nothing I can't handle." She stated, hoping that he would take the bait.

A small smile crossed his face and Noel sighed in relief.

"True." He remarked, his eye giving her a once over, "You do appear to be quite able to handle anything. Good day."

The man in black gave her a nod as he turned to make his leave and Noel reached out towards him, not wanting him to go. Not yet.

"I was lying before." She blurted out, "My brother has many great qualities, but giving directions isn't one of them. I am hopelessly lost. Do you know where I might find Rue Saint-Bernard?"

The man turned around, smiling.

"As a matter of fact, I know Rue Saint-Bernard quite well. I'll gladly show you the way." He gave her a slight bow as he added, "If I may, that is?"

Noel nodded in response and grabbed her horse's reigns to follow alongside him.

They walked in comfortable silence for a few moments before the man in black leaned towards her, "So you're visiting your brother?"

"Yes." She stated, suddenly nervous. How would she explain traveling by herself to an unknown city without sounding completely ridiculous, "I um…needed to get away from home for a bit and Paris seemed like a good option." She paused for a moment while the man considered her words, wincing at her vague response. "My brother offered to help me find lodging and well…here I am."

If the man thought her journey improper, he gave no notice of his thoughts, instead asking another question to keep the conversation going, "He's an older brother I presume?"

"Twin actually. Older by only two minutes, but he never lets me forget it." It was occurring to Noel that she was speaking very openly to a man she barely knew, but there was something about this man that put her at ease. She didn't know how exactly—it wasn't just because of his good looks—but she knew she could trust him. Even though the fight was over, he still remained her unspoken ally.

The man smiled a soft smile as they continued down the crowded streets. Noel had long sense stopped paying attention as to where they were.

"What is it that your brother does here in Paris?"

An exasperated sigh escaped Noel's lips at the thought of her brother's escapades since arrive in Paris last year, "He gets into trouble mostly from the sound of it, but he always has the best of intentions."

The man in black gave her an understanding nod, his expression turning serious again.

That wouldn't do.

"Charles has more good luck than anyone I know. Always lands on his feet no matter the situation, sometimes better off than when he started. It was exceedingly frustrating growing up having to work twice as hard to achieve what he simply lucked into."

The man rewarded her with another surprised laugh, "I bet."

Their pace started to slow and Noel looked at her surroundings. They had left the busier streets and were headed into more residential areas. They were nearing her destination and she desperately didn't want their conversation to end.

Not when she still knew so little about him.

"Aside from attempting to save the occasional damsel in distress," She started tentatively, "what exactly do you do for the city?"

The man acknowledged her joke with a half-smile, "Clerical stuff mostly. Issue citations, collecting overdue payments and the like."

Noel raised her eyebrows skeptically, "And a city clerk needs to be an expert swordsman?"

The man looked at her and grinned like he knew some amusing secret that she was not privy to, "I have a few side jobs."

She laughed rolling her eyes at him for a second time, "I see."

The man in black suddenly stopped and gestured to the square they were currently in, "Here we are, Rue Saint-Bernard. Now where exactly is your brother staying—"

"Noel!"

Noel whipped around at the sound of her brother's voice, smiling as she caught sight of him running towards her.

"Charles!" she exclaimed, leaving her horse with the man and running up to her twin.

He enveloped her in one of his massive bear hugs and Noel didn't care that her injured arm was screaming at her. As frustrating as he was, she hadn't realized the full weight of how much she had missed her brother until this moment.

D'Artagnon released her from his hug, still keeping an arm around her shoulders, "I see you've met Aramis."

He gestured towards the man in black and everything suddenly came to focus. Her serious-yet-playful companion who moved with an assassin's speed and an expert's grace with a sword was exactly the man that her brother had described in his letters to her.

She had unknowingly been with one of the Musketeers this whole time.

" _Aramis_?" she exclaimed, stunned at the revelation. She then thought back to one of the last things that he had said and gave him a sly look, "'Side jobs' indeed."

Aramis looked almost as shocked as she felt, his expressionless mask gone, "You're _D'Artagnon's_ sister?"

Sensing that something had happened between the two of them that he was unaware of, D'Artagnon gave his compatriot are wary glance, "Do I want to know how you two met?"

Aramis quickly composed himself and looked at D'Artagnon with one eyebrow raised, "Jussac seems to be picking up where Rochefort left off, but your sister here was perfectly capable of handling him herself. I merely provided commentary."

D'Artagnon grinned, giving his sister's shoulder an encouraging squeeze, "Well, I should certainly hope so. In Paris only a few hours and already causing fights."

"Sounds painfully familiar." Aramis stated, smiling a little to himself, "Speaking of your more exasperating qualities, when were you going to tell us that you were expecting a guest?"

Noel gasped in horror as she ducked out of her brother's arm, "Charles!" she exclaimed, elbowing him sharply with her good arm.

She turned to Aramis, "I sincerely apologize for my brother's poor manners. I do not wish to cause any trouble. I shall go find a room now to –"

Aramis waived her off, "It's no trouble at all. You can stay with us until you find more permanent lodging."

Noel bowed her head in thanks, "Thank you."

"You'll sleep in D'Artagnon's room." Aramis stated as he began to lead Noel's horse to the stables.

D'Artagnon frowned "But where will—"

Aramis interrupted him with a clap on the shoulder, grinning as he passed, "The balcony."

D'Artagnon groaned as he grabbed Noel's pack off of the horse as it passed, looking at his sister with a deflated expression.

Noel held her hands up in defense, "Don't look at me. You have no one to blame but yourself."

D'Artagnon motioned for her to follow him inside the place where she was to spend the night, but she paused.

"Charles are you sure about this? Isn't it…a little unfitting for me to be staying in a house with four men? I thought you had an apartment of your own."

"I've been meaning to get one," he remarked, earning another jab from her, "but discretion and people turning a blind eye to the comings and goings of this square is part of its appeal. As long as you're with me, you're fine."

Noel rolled her eyes at her brother's exaggerated gallantry, "I'm sorry I even asked."


	2. Chapter 2

By the time that Aramis had finished settling Noel's horse in the stables, all the preliminary introductions had been made between the rest of the Musketeers and Noel. Athos had reacted similarly to Aramis upon learning of the newest house guest, but Parthos was enthusiastic about the news enough for the two of them.

"So you're D'Artagnon's _sister_?" he asked, gleefully.

Noel gave a cautious nod, unsure of where the line of questioning from this jolly giant was headed.

Parthos leaned toward her, mischief written all over his face, "Tell me," he asked, "has he always been such a _little shit_?"

Noel let out a strangled laugh of surprise as D'Artagnon ducked his head in embarrassment.

Aramis cleared his throat from across the room, crossing his arms while shooting his friend a disapproving look.

Noel's waved him off, "No, it's fine. I'm just not used to such… _colorful_ language." She gave an encouraging smile to Parthos, plotting a little mischief herself, "To answer your question, he was worse in his youth than he is now—if you can believe it."

Parthos grunted, "How you've survived this long is beyond me."

Aramis chuckled to himself as he walked to the room's table, taking a seat next to an equally amused Athos.

"Well, welcome." The latter greeted, "It's nice to have someone around who can help keep D'Artagnon here in his place."

D'Artagnon rolled his eyes as he grabbed Noel's pack from the floor, "Everyone is so funny today. Come, Noel, I'll show you to where you'll be staying."

Noel smiled despite herself at her twin's discomfort, giving a parting wave to the other three men in the room before following him up the stairs.

Athos waited a few moments, waiting for the siblings' footsteps fade before he turned to Aramis, all earlier mirth gone from his expression.

"Start at the beginning."

Aramis sighed, shifting in his seat, "I think Jussac is the Cardinal's new right hand."

"Wonderful." Parthos grumbled, leaning back in his chair.

Aramis nodded at his friend, agreeing with his sentiment, "He was certainly acting like it with the way he was throwing his weight around. I fear that the relative peace we've been living in with Richelieu is coming to an end. We best be on our guard."

Athos frowned, considering Aramis's words, "How bad was it?"

"He was prepared to abduct Noel in the middle of a crowded square."

Parthos gave a low whistle, "That takes some balls."

Aramis nodded again in agreement, "Rochefort was many things, but he at least tried to be somewhat subtle in public. Well, when it didn't concern the four of us." he amended.

"Is the girl alright?" Parthos asked, moving to stand in front of the fireplace.

"I got there in time to intercept, but she was more than capable of defending herself."

Athos raised an eyebrow.

"But this slight won't be forgotten." Aramis continued, "Especially once it gets out that she's D'Artagnon's sister. I am not sure what her long-term plans are for Paris, but based on her earlier admittance to trying to find some lodging, I doubt that she was planning a short stay."

"While her brother is quite the charming lad, I doubt that she came here because she missed him." Parthos pointed out, leaning against the fireplace's mantle, "I'm lucky to get a letter over Christmas from my sister and I'm _twice_ as charming as our young friend."

Athos let out a soft chuckle, turning to Aramis, "You're the most discerning of us all. Why do you think she came to Paris?"

Aramis sat for a moment in silence as he thought over his earlier conversation with Noel, before either of them knew who the other was. She had only stated that she felt the need to leave Glascony, but the tone in which she had said it…

He had been careful not to ask too probing of questions, but she had appeared nervous and overly cautious in selecting her words—both indications that her departure from home was sudden and perhaps for reasons that were suspect.

He cleared his throat and looked Athos with an even expression, "It seems as though she is fleeing Gascony."

" _Fleeing_?" Athos asked, eyebrows shooting back up.

That was just what they needed, he thought. In addition to Richelieu's attention, a girl bringing them unwanted scandal.

"Try to fish out the reason for her sudden departure." Athos ordered, "She has a target on her back now and I don't want any more surprises."

A sudden knock at the door caused all three Musketeers to jump to attention.

"Well that was quick." Parthos quipped.

* * *

"I trust your journey went well?" D'Artagnon asked setting Noel's pack on his bed.

"Until I reached the city limits of Paris." Noel sighed, taking a seat next to her pack.

"Paris can be like that at first." He agreed, his voice warm with nostalgia.

Noel smiled at her brother, remembering all that he had written to her about his first day in the city, "Thank you for inviting me here."

"Well, your letter seemed urgent." D'Artagnon said, picking up a piece of parchment from his small corner desk. When she didn't comment, he set the parchment back down and pulled his chair over to the bed, "I only want the best for you, you know that right? You are my little sister after all. It is my duty to look out for you."

Noel laughed at the ruined sentimentality and without thinking, reached out to swat her brother with her injured arm. She quickly drew back her arm, hissing in pain.

D'Artagnon frowned, gesturing for Noel to let him examine her injury, "Let me take a look."

Noel carefully took off her riding jacket and rolled the loose sleeve of her chemise well past the injured part of her arm, up almost to her shoulder.

D'Artagnon swore as he saw the angry purple marks on her arm that had begun to swell.

"Jussac did this?" He asked, his voice deadly serious as he lightly touched her bruises.

"I don't think he's used to a woman telling him no." Noel stated dryly, trying to cut the situation's severity with humor.

"Noel…" D'Artagnon warned, knowing all too well how his sister hated to show weakness—it was a trait they both shared. He was not in the mood for her waive this off. Not with the Cardinal's Guard involved.

"It's only a bruise, Charles." She pleaded, trying to defuse his anger. In addition to pride, they both shared the same temper and she didn't like the tone his voice was taking, "I've been injured far worse."

"Yes," D'Artagnon countered, "but you breaking your arm after falling off your horse—"

"Which you had spooked into a gallop." She interjected.

"—didn't make me want to run someone through with a sword."

"Charles," Noel sighed, exasperated, "I appreciate your sense of chivalry, but you must promise me you'll do no such thing."

Her brother just stared at her, still seething.

"Besides," she continued, "Aramis and I already dueled him and won. My honor is intact and we can all just forget the incident ever happened."

Noel jumped when Aramis cleared his throat from his position leaning against the room's doorway. He had a nasty habit of doing that and catching her unawares.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple." He stated flatly, "It appears that you and I have been summoned to Court."

Noel looked from him to her brother, not fully comprehending Aramis's words.

"Court as in _the Palace_?" She asked, stunned, "With the King and Queen of France?"

"It's nothing to worry about." Aramis said, trying to ease her obvious distress, "Only a formality really. It's one of the drawbacks of dueling with the Cardinal's guards."

He paused for a moment, glancing down at Noel's exposed arm. Upon seeing her injuries, his face had gone back to its expressionless façade, but Noel could almost feel the anger that was radiating off of the older Musketeer.

Almost as if he sensed her gaze, Aramis quickly looked away, focusing on her brother.

"D'Artagnon, help your sister dress for Court. We don't want her making the same mistake as you and show up in rags."

Noel barely registered his attempt to defuse the tension in the room with a joke as she looked at her brother horrified, "Rags?!"

"You saw what I was wearing when I left. That was all I had!" D'Artagnon stated in defense of his sister's judgement.

"I'll be waiting for you downstairs." Aramis stated, taking his leave.

"You should feel honored. I didn't get called to Court until my second day in Paris." D'Artagnon teased, earning a swat from his sister.

"Quit talking and help me decide which dress to wear."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Thank you for all of the follows, favorites, and the review! This chapter was a little on the short side, but the next one will be longer, I promise!


	3. Chapter 3

Noel had quickly washed the evidence of her travels away with a damp cloth that D'Artagnon had brought her and changed into the nicer of the three dresses she had the foresight to bring with her to Paris. Not knowing how much time Aramis was allowing her, she quickly unbraided and restyled her hair into one single braid before heading down the stairs to help him ready their horses for the journey to Court.

They had traveled in silence for the majority of the journey, Noel sensing that Aramis didn't want to talk. While the silence itself wasn't uncomfortable, Noel found herself once again wishing to do something to make him smile. The hour it took to cross the city seemed to drag longer than it had that morning and she was starting to fidget from both boredom and nerves.

"You clean up better than your brother."

Noel nearly jumped our of her saddle at his sudden words, but quickly saw her opportunity, "Well," she started, "of the two of us I am the one that looks better in a dress."

Aramis chuckled and looked over at Noel, offering her a comforting smile, "There truly is no reason to worry. Like I said before, this is merely just a formality. We fought a member of the Cardinal's guards, yes, but we had just reason to do so."

He stared pointedly at her arm and Noel looked away, her cheeks beginning to flush. Even though the bruises on her arm were covered with the sleeve of her dress, she couldn't help but remember how him looking at her arm's bare flesh had made her feel.

She offered him a meek nod as she tried to pull herself together. They were quickly approaching the palace's front gate.

"How did they know I would be with you? With the summons?" She asked. The question had been nagging at the back of her mind for almost their entire journey.

Aramis sighed, "I have no doubt the Cardinal has his spies throughout the city and while our little square offers some discretion, money talks. Information can travel very fast for the right price."

Noel raised her eyebrows, "You think your neighbors are being bribed?"

He simply shrugged in response, "Wouldn't be the most shocking thing in the world."

Aramis shifted in his saddle as they entered the courtyard

"I'll do the talking, just remember to breathe." Aramis stated as they dismounted. He handed the reins of both their horses to the waiting stable boy.

He walked back over to Noel, placing one hand on the small of her back while gesturing forward with her other, "Shall we?"

Noel simply nodded in response as they started down the main pathway, escorted by the palace guards.

It took all of her will to not openly gape as they entered the palace's front hall. Never in her life had Noel seen anything so beautiful. From the almost ethereal fresco on the ceiling to the sheer volume of all the marble fixtures, Noel wished nothing more than to be left alone. She wanted to stand in the hall and simply stare at everything for hours, so that she could take in every detail.

She gave Aramis a sidelong glance and was envious of how calm and collected he appeared. Then again, he was no stranger to court summons, she supposed.

She took in a deep breath and concentrated on removing any emotion from her expression, envisioning herself wearing a mask of polite indifference.

A mask that matched her companion's.

She had nothing to worry about, she told herself. Not only was Aramis correct in that they had every reason to have dueled Jussac, her brother had the King's favor, the Queen's gratitude, and the heart of one of the Queen's ladies in waiting.

Her mind briefly wondered if she would see this 'Constance' that her brother had written her about, but all thoughts instantly stopped as the royal couple's presence was announced in the hall.

Noel swept into as low a curtsey as she dared without losing her balance as Aramis knelt. She was completely dependent on taking her cues from him. When he didn't immediately rise, she silently said a prayer of thanks that she had stopped her curtsy when she had.

The last thing she wanted was to topple over onto the floor in front of her country's monarchs.

While she wished she had gotten a better look at the King and Queen, she respectfully kept her head down, averting her gaze as Aramis did. She offered another silent prayer of thanks that she wasn't in this alone.

The Queen stopped several paces from Noel and Aramis, but the King walked directly up to the pair. There was a moment of silence before the King clapped, causing Noel to flinch in surprise.

"Ah! Aramis!" the King exclaimed. Did Noel here glee in his voice? "Back quarreling with the Cardinal's guards, I see."

Aramis looked up for the first time, his face still expressionless, "I truly did not wish to quarrel with the Cardinal's guard, Your Majesty, but he forced my hand. It was a matter of chivalry."

Noel could almost hear the King smile, "A matter of chivalry you say?"

Aramis gave a slight nod as he gestured towards her, "A guard threatened Miss D'Artagnon and I was under the obligation of both God and country to defend her, Your Majesty."

Noel couldn't help the small smile that crossed her lips as she focused intently on the marble floor in front of her. Aramis certainly did have a way with words.

"Miss D'Artagnon, you say?" the King mused, "Well that explains the reports of a female accomplice in your duel."

Noel watched as the Kings shoes turned from pointing at Aramis to her. Right, this was her cue, "Your D'Artagnon's…"

"Sister, Your Majesty." She stated, relieved that her voice didn't waiver, "Noel D'Artagnon of Glascony. I'd only just arrived in Paris this morning when I was confronted by the guard."

"And were you threatened?"

The Queen's soft, musical voice, surprised Noel. She looked up at the Queen to find the young royal looking at her with a soft, concerned expression. Noel also didn't miss the subtle frost that had laced her words.

The Queen was no fan of the Cardinal or his guards.

Noel sighed in relief. She could trust her.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Noel stated, giving a slight nod, "Aramis saw my distress and came to defend my honor."

"Which you also helped him defend." The King quipped, not bothering to hide his amusement at the situation.

Noel blushed as she looked back to the floor, grasping for what she should say, "I was raised that one's honor was always up to one to defend, Your Majesty."

She had apparently spoken correctly because the King clapped in amusement once again, "It is indeed. You may rise."

Noel let out a silent breath of relief as she rose. She glanced over at Aramis who gave her the tiniest of nods.

She was behaving as she should.

The Queen took a few steps forward, whispering in her husband's ear. The King lovingly took her hands in his own and nodded, agreeing with whatever it was that she had said. The Queen nodded in response and stepped back to her original place behind the King.

Even though the King and Queen were awfully young—they couldn't have been much older that Noel she supposed—they seemed to genuinely care for one another. She was heartened to see the King take council from his wife.

French court was nothing as she had expected.

The King turned his attentions back to Aramis and Noel, "I'll see to it that the Cardinal's guards are spoken to about their behavior. This will not happen again to you or any woman in Paris."

Noel gave him a small and swift curtsey, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

But the King was not done.

"And to help repay you for this most unforgivable offense," he continued, "the Queen is offering you a position as one of her ladies in waiting."

"A small gesture to help make up for what you have experienced today." the Queen added, her expression soft once more.

Noel was unable to keep the look of surprise from her face. She looked to Aramis for help, but he looked just as stunned as her. Of all the things that could have happened during their audience with the King and Queen, this clearly wasn't anything he had expected.

She was on her own with how to respond.

"Your Majesties are too kind." She murmured, "I have only just arrived—"

"And I suppose you have a better offer lined up already?" The King asked, not even trying to bother his enjoyment of her faltering response.

Noel winced. She had spoken incorrectly.

"Forgive my impertinence, Your Majesty. It's just that I know nothing of Court comportment or of being a Lady. I am merely a country girl who knows how to fight."

For a third time, the King clapped and for a third time, Noel flinched. Why did he keep doing that?

"Precisely!" He exclaimed, "I'd feel much better knowing that my Queen has a Musketeer of her own. Seeing as how you are D'Artagnon's sister, you'll be a very fine Musketeer indeed. A Lady Musketeer as it were."

The King chuckled at his own joke as Noel's mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation.

Seeing her struggle, the Queen approached Noel, "Given recent events, I am in need of protection just as much as I am in need of companionship. It would be helpful if they could be one in the same. Being a Lady can be learned and from the character you have displayed here today, it looks as though you are already on your way."

The Queen leaned closer to Noel, lowering her voice, "Besides, where the Cardinal is concerned, we women must stick together."

The Queen gently grabbed one of Noel's hands and gave it a slight squeeze of support, silently prompting Noel on what she should do next.

Taking her cue, Noel swept into another deep curtsey, her hand still raised in the Queen's grasp as a sign of fidelity, "I would be honored to be one of your ladies in waiting, Your Majesty."

"Excellent!" The King exclaimed. He turned to one of his nearby advisors as Noel rose, "Make the arrangements! We'll have it all settled by the end of the week. Aramis!"

"Yes, Your Majesty?" Aramis asked as he gave a quick bow as the King turned his focus towards the older Musketeer.

"Please see to it that Miss D'Artagnon is properly prepared to become Her Majesty's Musketeer." The King tossed him a small pouch that clanged with gold coins upon Aramis catching it.

Aramis bowed his head, "As you wish, Your Majesty."

The King and Queen turned to depart and Noel followed Aramis in stunned silence as he turned to take his leave.

Neither of them spoke as they walked to where their horses had been kept, mounting them in silence as they headed back to Rue Saint-Bernard.

Once the palace was out of sight, Noel turned to Aramis, searching his face for answers, "What on Earth just happened?"

Aramis smiled, chuckling to himself, "Welcome to Paris, 'Lady Musketeer.'"

Noel blushed, slightly embarrassed by his teasing. Other than one little fight, she had done nothing to be worthy of such a title.

The mounted their horses and headed back to the city to relay the news to the other Musketeers. This time, though, their journey was not a silent one.

"Does that happen often?" Noel asked, still trying to process everything.

Aramis glanced at her, eyebrow raised in amusement, "Does what happen? The King of France offering jobs to strange lasses from out of town?"

She shot him a look, "That and the fact that he just says whatever comes to his mind with no consideration for perhaps what he should say instead?"

Aramis's eyebrows rose even higher as Noel realized her impertinence. She glanced around, glad that they were on the bridge leaving the Palace grounds and that no one was around them.

"You'll do well to figure who to whom you can make such observations quickly. I can tell you from personal experience that it won't be many." He halfheartedly scolded, "Luckily for you, you are in the presence of such company and yes, our King does have that unfortunate tendency to speak without thinking first."

"I didn't mean to—" Noel started, but Aramis held up his hand.

"If you are to become a Musketeer, then there is to be no secrets between us. You can speak freely to any of us without worry of repercussion. We're all brothers in arms…well, I guess not in your case, but you get the idea." He offered Noel one of his comforting smiles and she relaxed.

"All for one and one for all?" She asked and his smile grew bigger.

"Exactly."

She gave him a nod, returning his smile.

"A 'Lady Musketeer' will be very useful, actually." Aramis continued, over emphasizing the King's name for Noel, enjoying the embarrassed flush that came to her cheeks when he did.

"Oh?" Noel asked, moving her horse closer to his as they neared the busy market streets.

"We've been relying on Constance to get D'Artagnon news of the Queen and sometimes of the King and if we're lucky, the Cardinal. It'll be very helpful to have one of us with a direct line to the Palace."

"Will I have to live there? In the Palace?" Noel asked, suddenly thinking about the logistics of it all.

"Part of the time, yes." Aramis answered, "Constance has an apartment that she shares with some of the other ladies when their presence is not requested in Court. We should probably start looking for a place for you to stay as well. I can't imagine one of the Queen's ladies should be sharing a flat with four men."

Noel felt her face grow warm and saw Aramis's smile turn from good natured to cheeky.

He was trying to get a rise out of her and so far he was succeeding.

She cleared her throat, trying to gain some of her composure back, "Yes, well, not that my brother doesn't deserve to sleep on a balcony, I'd imagine he'll only become more insufferable than normal if he is without a bed for too long.

"Besides," She added, shifting in her saddle and assuming a mock haughty tone, "You other boys would be utterly useless if my presence were to become a permanent one, what with my feminine wiles and all."

Aramis threw his head back and laughed, causing Noel to laugh as well. This was the most expression she had seen from the older Musketeer.

Unguarded laughter suited him.

His laughter slowly faded, but amusement was still written all over his face as he looked over at her, considering his next words, "I think you'll fit in quite nicely here."

Noel smiled and they rode on towards home.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Thank you all so much for your reviews, faves, and follows! The action will start to pick up soon... :)


	4. Chapter 4

"The Queen's Musketeer?" D'Artagnon asked for the second time, still just as surprised as he was the first time he had asked.

He had all but pounced on Aramis and Noel upon their return from Court and Noel watched her brother from the dining room's table as he paced in front of the fireplace.

"Yes." She said, sneaking a quick look at the other two Musketeers who had be listening to the news in silence. Parthos sat at the table across from her, grinning while Athos stood in the stair's entry, carefully analyzing every single one of her words.

"Truly?" D'Artangon asked, as he turned to face her.

Noel sighed in exasperation, her focus landing back on her brother, "I know your ears work just fine, Charles."

Athos cleared is throat, "If you are to be a Musketeer, we must make sure that you are ready. Given that you only have a week, we must move quickly. Your training starts at dawn."

Noel met his gaze and nodded. She had done nothing to earn the title of Musketeer. It only made sense that she was to train with them before the week was out.

Porthos grabbed the jug of wine that had been sitting on the table and poured her a healthy glass, "But until then, we celebrate."

He poured four more glasses and distributed them to his fellow Musketeers before raising his glass, "To the most interesting day we've had in weeks."

The four men raised their glasses at the toast, but Noel started to hand hers back, "Thank you for the wine, Porthos, but if I am to train at dawn, I really shouldn't be drinking."

From across the room, Athos nearly choked on his wine, "Oh, I like you better than your brother already."

"Hey!" D'Artangon exclaimed in mock offense, "I took my training seriously."

The other three men laughed as Aramis took a step forward from his place near the window, "It's okay. Drink your wine. To truly be a Musketeer, you must be able to both drink and fight."

A small laugh escaped Noel as she looked at her brother, "You weren't exaggerating in your letters."

Porthos slammed his empty glass on the table, turning to D'Artagnon and trying his best to look outraged, "Giving away all our secrets, lad?"

D'Artagnon simply shrugged, "I like to think of it as documenting our escapades."

The four men all laughed as Noel excused herself from the table and headed to the balcony. She needed the cool night's air to help her focus. To finish making sense of the day.

She had been alone with her thoughts for several minutes before she felt another presence with her.

She instinctively knew who it was.

"Of all the scenarios I played in my mind about coming to Paris, today was definitely beyond anything I had imagined." She stated matter of factly as she sipped her wine.

"That's the beauty of this city." Aramis commented as he took his place next to her, leaning against the railing, "It's rarely what you expect."

Noel smiled and the two stood together in silence, taking in the view of the city at night.

She found that she was beginning to enjoy their peaceful silences almost as much as their conversations.

Aramis shifted his weight and turned to face her, "What I said earlier," he started slowly, carefully choosing his words, "about us having no secrets from one another."

Noel gave him a sidelong glance as he stared out into the city, unsure where he was going with this.

"What really brought you to Paris, Noel?" He shifted his stance, turning to face her as he continued, "You mentioned before-when we had first met-that you'd felt as though you needed to leave Glascony."

Noel sucked in a breath as he leaned in closer to her, dropping his voice to a whisper, "Are you in some sort of trouble?"

She looked back out at the quiet city thoughtfully, wondering how much she should say.

Aramis followed her gaze. He was a patient man. Whatever her reason was, it had to be significant for a young woman to travel across the country alone.

Athos was right to question, especially since she so quickly fell into Jussac's sight, but Aramis found the he himself was curious as to her reasons for coming to Paris.

He had noticed her on the street that morning before Jussac had even approached her.

Aramis was speaking with a merchant about permits when he had glanced over and saw her on her horse, taking in the city around her. She had been one contradiction after the other—looking completely overwhelmed, yet at peace with her surroundings. Curious as to what was going on in the marketplace, but quickly collecting herself as to not look too inquisitive and out of place. He knew instantly that she was new to the city—albeit not _this_ new—but she also looked like she belonged walking the streets of Paris.

It was captivating.

And everything that happened after he had first seen her only added wood to the fire of his interest in the girl. She was smart, clever, and funny...qualities he hadn't seen in a young maiden in quite some time. Who was she? Where was she going? Why was she here?

For how long?

When Athos tasked him with finding the answers, Aramis was only happy to oblige. He wanted answers too, but he was starting to suspect that he was wanting them for very different reasons.

Aramis's focus snapped back to the present as Noel began to speak.

"No trouble...at least...not in the traditional sense." She started, debating her words.

For a moment, Aramis thought she wasn't going to say anything, but a sudden sigh escaped her lips and she opened her mouth to speak.

"A marriage proposal was imminent and did not wish to marry my suitor." Noel stated bluntly, fiddling with her wine glass, "So I left."

Aramis wasn't sure what he expected her reason for coming to Paris to be, but it certainly hadn't been that.

"You fled a _marriage proposal_?" he asked, eyebrows raised in disbelief.

Noel looked away, clearly uncomfortable.

"There are more rules when you're a girl." She explained, focusing intently on her wine glass, "More restrictions. I had no intention of giving up what little freedom I have left to be miserable in a loveless marriage. I want more for my life than that."

Aramis frowned as she spoke, her last sentence almost a whisper.

"From what Athos and D'Artagnon say of your father, he doesn't seem to be the sort to force either of his children into something they do not want."

Noel nodded, taking a long sip from her glass, "You're right, he wouldn't. But the proposal…" she went back to fidgeting, "it's not one easily turned down. I spared my family the dishonor and came to Paris before it could even take place, but I am not entirely sure that my mother will ever forgive me."

Aramis stood there for several long moments as he considered her words.

"When I was younger, I was set to become a priest."

Noel turned to look at him, surprised.

"My family had always been very devout and it seemed only natural that my life would take the route of priesthood."

"What changed?" She asked, looking back out to the night sky.

Aramis sighed, "I realized that being a man of God and a man of the cloth are two very different things. I saw the corruption happening around me and left."

He turned to face her and waited until she looked at him to continue, "There is no shame in wanting more for your life, Noel."

She gave him a weak smile, "So you became a Musketeer."

He lifted his glass towards her in a silent cheers, "As did you."

"Yeah, well, I have to pass my training first."

"True," Aramis agreed, smiling at her joke, but not fully willing to let the moment go just yet, "but I have faith in you."

Aramis took a sip of his wine before heading back inside to leave her alone to her thoughts. He walked over to Athos who had been watching the two talk on the balcony, knowing Aramis's reason to go out there.

"So?" Athos asked as his comrade took his place beside him.

"She left to escape a marriage proposal she did not wish to receive." Aramis replied, keeping his voice low. Porthos and D'Artangnon were in a loud debate over who knew what, and while D'Artangon had to have known about his sister's reasons for being in Paris, Aramis did not want to tip off the fact that there had been questions raised over Noel's sudden presence.

Like Aramis, Athos raised his eyebrows, letting out a surprised chuckle, "Well, it looks like stubbornness runs deep in that family."

Aramis smiled, "Yes, but at least Noel shows some restraint. She handled herself very well in court today."

"Yes. Well enough to secure favor with the Queen." Athos mused, "It'll actually be quite useful to have someone on the inside with the Queen. Someone who isn't compromised by affection, that is." He amended, thinking of Constance.

Aramis nodded watching as his friend's eyes grow dark as his thoughts undoubtedly turned to Milday.

Aramis looked back over to the balcony and watched as Noel came inside to take a seat next to her brother and began to suspect that he was headed towards dangerous territory when it came to their newest member.

"You've already seen her fight, what do you think? Honestly?" Athos asked.

Thus far Aramis had made offhand remarks about how she had handled herself against Jussac, but Athos wanted to know what she was capable of.

Was she truly able to become one of them and not just someone who was only capable of being a diversionary tactic like Constance? Could she hold her own on missions with them? Like Milady had in what seemed like over a decade ago...

Aramis finished his wine in one sip and gave his friend a knowing look, "Oh, I have no doubt that she'll be able to knock every single one of us on our asses before the week is out."

Athos grinned.

* * *

Noel knocked D'Artagnon to the ground that next morning.

Athos had suggested that the siblings duel so that the other three Musketeers could get a baseline assessment of Noel's skill with the sword.

What they did not expect was an all-out battle between the two.

Porthos watched the pair grinning from the entertainment value of the fight, while Athos looked on with interest, relieved that the girl was not only holding her own, but slowly gaining the advantage in the fight. Aramis just stood there, analyzing the fight with his usual cool expression, one leg propped up on a barrel.

While Noel and D'Artagnon were equally matched in training and technique, she was quicker and slightly more nimble, giving her an edge. An edge that D'Artagnon was starting to realize she possessed.

Before D'Artagnon could adjust his strategy, Noel thrust her sword down and up, effectively knocking her brother's sword out of his hands and over to where the other Musketeers stood. D'Artagnon paused for a moment, looking at his sister's sword that was pointing directly at his chest, weighing his options.

Noel saw the thought cross his face and her eyes widened, "Charles, don't you dare."

She had barely finished her words before D'Artagnon side stepped her sword, attempting to sweep her legs out from under her. Noel leapt up, jumping over his foot, kicking him in the chest in the process.

D'Artagnon fell to the ground, winded.

"I told you not to do it." Noel chastised, helping him to his feet.

"Yeah, well, I forgot that you're a kicker." D'Artagnon teased, giving his sister a playful shove.

"Excellent." Athos stated, walking towards the two, "Clearly you're an excellent swordsman—"

"Swordswoman." D'Artagnon corrected, earning a scowl from the older Musketeer.

"Are you trained in any other weapons?" Athos continued, shifting his attention from D'Artagnon back to Noel.

"I'm decent with a bow and arrow." Noel shrugged, "Outside of that, it's just the sword."

"Then you'll train with Aramis on the bow." He looked at his friend, "Also, teach her how to throw knives. They are easier to conceal with skirts than a sword and could potentially be her biggest asset within court."

Aramis nodded in agreement as Athos turned to Parthos.

"Teach her the finer points of hand to hand combat. She's quick, yes, but if she's up against someone like you and without a weapon, she'll need to be able to fight."

Porthos's grin widened, "This'll be fun."

Noel shook her head, chuckling at the larger man's enthusiasm.

"I'll start looking for proper lodging for you today and tomorrow we'll start finding you a proper wardrobe for Court." Athos continued, "But until then, Aramis, she's all yours."

* * *

Aramis and Noel had gone back to the Musketeers' apartment to grab various bows—both traditional and several crossbows as well as knives of all sizes—before heading out to the countryside immediately outside of the city.

They found ruins of an old farm that was perfect for target practice. They worked all morning, Aramis showing Noel how to use a crossbow—something Noel had never used before. Since she'd had some familiarity with a traditional bow, she caught on quick.

Throwing knives was a different story all together.

While she would hit her target the majority of the time, it was almost always with the knife's handle. Nothing would ever stick.

"Why am I so useless at this?" Noel exclaimed, when the knife after her latest attempt clanged to the ground.

Aramis took a step toward her, "You don't throw knives like you throw any other object. You need to swing your arm straight up and down so that you're not hitting your target at an angle. Like this."

He moved behind her and gently grabbed her arm, slowly moving it in the proper motion. Noel was acutely aware of every point where the older Musketeer's body made contact with her's, but she quickly chided herself, forcing her mind to focus on what he was saying.

Now was not the time for distractions.

Not when she was learning something that could potentially save her life.

"See? You don't need to throw any harder—that will cause you to lose control of the knife. You just need to adjust the blade's rotation. Relax your throw a bit."

Aramis gave her a knife and placed his hand around hers, "On the count of three, I want you to throw the knife."

He pulled her arm back again, setting her up for the throw.

"One…two…" he moved her arm straight down like he had done before when he had been showing her the movements, but then abruptly stepped back, "Three!"

Noel released the knife and gasped when it hit the dead center of her target…and stuck.

"Good." Aramis acknowledged, giving her a small nod, "Now do it twenty more times."

* * *

The next day, Noel trained with Porthos in the morning, learning how to leverage her speed and agility in a fist fight.

"You'll most likely never win a fight based on brute strength alone." The large man stated, gesturing at her petite stature, "But you can use your opponent's strength against themselves."

He was showing her some basic maneuvers on how to get out of an opponent's grip, when Athos walked out of the Musketeer's apartment and into their small back courtyard.

"I'm afraid you'll have to put training on pause. We have an appointment with the dressmaker."

Porthos barked with laughter, "I would pay money to see you set up an appointment with a dressmaker."

Athos shot his friend an exasperated look as Noel headed inside to get ready for their appointment.

"How is she doing?" Athos asked after he was certain Noel was out of hearing range.

Porthos placed his hands on his hips, thinking over the past few hours, "She's very dedicated, I'll give her that. Won't rest until she executes a maneuver perfectly."

"She's a quick learner." Aramis added, walking out into the courtyard, "but I think she puts too much pressure on herself striving for perfection. We'll have to be careful that she's not over-working herself. I doubt she'd be forthcoming about any injuries, so keep an eye out for that."

Porthos nodded, "I noticed that she's been favoring her left arm. Compliments of Jussac I take it?"

Aramis nodded, "He left her with some pretty nasty bruises, but no lasting damage. Just…be mindful of that side when making your attacks"

Porthos nodded, solemnly

"Right, well…I'm off to the dressmaker." Athos stated, turning to head inside.

"You?" Aramis asked, grin on his face, "Oh, I would pay fifty livres to see you discuss the intricacies of ladies' fashion."

Athos sighed, continuing to walk into the apartment without looking back, his friends besides themselves with laughter, "Shut up."

* * *

By the end of the week, Noel had moved into a small apartment just down the square from where the Musketeer's lived and had a respectable wardrobe for Court. She had continued her training with Aramis on knife throwing in the mornings and combat training with Porthos in the afternoon. By the time the evening rolled around, Noel found it hard to focus on Athos's lectures on Court politics, but she managed to find time to study the various scrolls he gave her.

On her last night before Court, Noel found herself sitting around the dining room table with her four compatriots, drinking wine in celebration.

"To my sister," D'Artagnon toasted, raising his glass, "Our very own 'Lady Musketeer.'"

Noel rolled her eyes, still hating that term.

D'Artagnon smiled at his twin's discomfort, "May she make France proud."

The other Musketeers laughed and raised their glasses at the toast.

"Excited for your first day?" D'Artagnon asked, setting his wine glass down.

"I'm honestly not sure what I should feel. I don't know what to expect." Noel admitted.

"Well, from what Constance has told me, it's a lot of sitting around and looking pretty, going outside for the occasional stroll."

Noel laughed with relief, "And here I've been practicing weapons training when I should have been learning how to sit still while looking vacant."

"Palace intrigue is not really a skill one can teach." Aramis chimed in, "But you're clever enough that I doubt you'll have any problems."

"Unlike your poor brother here, you at lease have some skill with wit." Porthos joked, clapping D'Artagnon on the back.

The men all laughed, remembering Constance's first few encounters with the lad and how poorly matched he was when it came to skills of the tongue.

"Just be mindful of whom you can trust." Athos warned as the laughter died down, "Constance has proven herself to be a great ally and the Queen is on our side when it comes to Richelieu, but outside of that, be very cautious with your more…colorful opinions."

Noel nodded and finished her wine.

"Well, I should probably be off. A good night's sleep would do me well before tomorrow." She excused.

She had grabbed her cloak and headed out the door to make the quick walk over to her apartment. She had only taken a couple of steps when she sensed that she wasn't alone.

"I won't be able to see you off tomorrow," Aramis explained as he caught up to her, handing her a small bundle, "But I wanted to be sure that you had these with you before you left."

Noel looked at him quizzically before carefully unrolling the cloth that surrounded the bundle's contents.

Six feather thin throwing knives gleamed in the moonlight along with two delicate leather holsters that looked as though they were to be secured on her calves.

"Athos was right, knives are the idea weapon for you to have in Court and I noticed that you had the greatest amount of success with these. Consider them yours." Aramis explained.

"Aramis, I can't accept these." She muttered, trying to hand them back.

The older Musketeer calmly hooked his thumbs in the side pockets of his doublet, refusing to take the knives back, "Of course you can. They're knives I don't really use any more and they wouldn't be as useful to you without the holsters, though I did have to guess at the sizing and fit of them. They have buckles on the sides, so they're adjustable should you need to—"

Noel cut him off, throwing her arms around him in a hug.

"Thank you." She said, pulling away, suddenly embarrassed with the sudden show of affection. Yes, they had grown closer over the last week—closer than she'd gotten with either Athos or Porthos—but she'd never really come into physical contact with him like that. Not since their first knife throwing lesson.

She quickly made her exit, mentally kicking herself, while Aramis watched her go, grinning as he turned to head back inside.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you so much for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows! This is a fun one to write and I am really glad that you guys are enjoying it!


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